Architect, Contractor Chosen for Broadway-Style Theater

Salt Lake City announced Wednesday the architectural and contracting teams that will move construction of Utah’s new Broadway-style theater forward.

Carla Stickler, from the national touring cast of "Wicked" performed a song from the musical ahead of the announcement that HKS and Pelli Clark Pelli architects, along with Layton Construction have been chosen to design and build the Utah Performing Arts Center. The proposed 2,500 seat theater will be located on Salt Lake City’s Main Street. Mayor Ralph Becker said what the city wants is a downtown that some remember as a bustling center of activity.

“My hope and expectation is that this theater contributes to it, not just as what we hope will be a magnificent structure but as a piece of our downtown," Becker said.

The Salt Lake County Council agreed on Tuesday to fund roughly 20 percent of the project. The Theater is expected to cost at least $100 million.

“We’ve seen the beautiful City Creek Development and that’s really our retail core and our new financial district," said Nichole Dunn,Deputy Mayor of Salt Lake County. "We really want to build this as the arts and culture core.”

The venue will house first-run touring Broadway shows, and provide an additional venue for Utah performing groups such as Ballet West and Utah Opera. Construction is slated to begin December 2013.